'Hotel assassins' pose threat to sustainable tourism industry

As the tourism industry braces itself for the upcoming May Day holiday, a worrying trend is emerging – some businesses have started to raise their prices to make more profits.

People are calling such phenomenon as "hotel assassins" as some hotels in popular commercial areas or tourist attractions have increased their price by several times. Some internet users are claiming they booked early at a relatively low price, but their bookings have even been canceled as hotels increase their prices amid demands.

This kind of action by some businesses is an unhealthy practice and will do more harm than good to the industry. It goes against everything that the service industry stands for – to provide customers with friendly, hospitable service and fair pricing. When businesses start to take advantage of customers by raising prices, or force them to cancel orders, it can lead to a negative impact on the destination's image and reputation. Furthermore, inflationary pricing only penalizes the price-sensitive consumer, alienating a segment who will likely not return.

In fact, after a special period of three years, the overwhelming hotel booking rate and flights booking are best proof that the tourism consumption market is accelerating its recovery.

While the economic principle of supply and demand naturally drives businesses to adjust their prices in accordance with market forces, it is concerning to see some establishments exploiting holidaymakers by inflating their prices unnecessarily.

Therefore, it is more than necessary supervise some of the non-standard market behavior, such as willful and arbitrary price increase. Relevant departments need to strengthen necessary market supervision to protect consumers' rights against obvious violations by merchants.

In conclusion, it is time for the industry to take responsibility and recognize that sustainable tourism growth can only be achieved through a transparent and ethical pricing policy. This means keeping prices reasonable, providing high-quality services, and using fair pricing as a means of building long-term customer loyalty instead of unethical profiteering. Ultimately, it is the duty of the industry to create an equitable and socially responsible environment for tourism, which will benefit everyone over time.